Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Akin Assumes Women are Liars - and That's OK?

The more Todd Akin tries to explain what he said last Sunday, the bigger the hole gets under Romney/Ryan and the Republican Agenda. Let's face it, Akin is probably the most honest representative the Republican Party has ever had. What you see in him is what you get when you vote red.

Stupidity, Misogyny, Anti-Intellectualism - they've got it all.

Akin's latest attempt to explain "legitimate rape" makes things even worse. He wasn't saying there are various types of rape, he says. No, he just thinks women are liars and can't be trusted to tell the truth after a traumatic experience. He believes even the landmark Roe vs. Wade is based on lies. The premise seems to be that "bad women" are in such a hurry to get abortions that they will lie and say anything to get it done.

Arguing that he misplaced the word “legitimate,” Akin explained — during a follow up interview with Dana Loesch — that he meant to argue that women sometimes lie about being raped:

AKIN: You know, Dr. Willke has just released a statement and part of his letter, I think he just stated it very clearly. He said, of course Akin never used the word legitimate to refer to the rapist, but to false claims like those made in Roe v. Wade and I think that simplifies it….. There isn’t any legitimate rapist…. [I was] making the point that there were people who use false claims, like those that basically created Roe v. Wade.

This would merely seem absurd and grasping at straws, except that yesterday the Republican Party voted to leave the "no exception for rape and incest" clause in their Party Platform. And that's not all - they still want to ban birth control, too. So Akin is not alone, and even if he leaves the Party, there are plenty of his kind waiting in the wings.

Later, in a discussion of health care, the platform committee waded back into the abortion question, passing several amendments. One, proposed by Illinois delegate Sharee Langenstein, says being "pro-life" is consistent with being "pro-woman."

Another amendment, proposed by a delegate from North Carolina, supports banning the RU-486 pill and similar drugs that end pregnancies. Jackie Curtiss, a delegate from Alabama, objected, saying in light of Akin's recent comments about rape, it sends the wrong signal to women. The amendment passed after others on the committee said the resolution would not affect the "morning after" pill.

A reporter tried to get Paul Ryan to go on the record about his past interactions with Todd Akin, but Ryan is a slippery devil and keeps hiding behind the "top of the ticket" candidate, Mitt Romney. But Ryan certainly didn't cut all ties with the past, and is still touting his "pro-life" record as a dog whistle to the base.

Ryan: “Well, look, I’m proud of my pro-life record. And I stand by my pro-life record in Congress. It’s something I’m proud of. But Mitt Romney is the top of the ticket and Mitt Romney will be president and he will set the policy of the Romney administration.”

Despite Ryan’s views, Romney says he will allow exceptions for rape and incest. Ryan also seemed to back away from earlier views on types of rape.

Delano: “You sponsored legislation that has the language ‘forcible rape.’ What is forcible rape as opposed…”

Ryan: “Rape is rape. Rape is rape, period. End of story.”

Delano: “So that forcible rape language meant nothing to you at the time?”

Ryan: “Rape is rape and there’s no splitting hairs over rape.”

Okey, Dokey, only Ryan sponsored bills WITH Todd Akin that would change the definition of rape, distinguish between forcible and statutory rape, and would definitely ban several types of birth control. We can only conclude that Paul Ryan is lying now just to get elected.

(A) the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being, and is the paramount and most fundamental right of a person; and
(B) the life of each human being begins with fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, irrespective of sex, health, function or disability, defect, stage of biological development, or condition of dependency, at which time every human being shall have all the legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood; and

(2) the Congress affirms that the Congress, each State, the District of Columbia, and all United States territories have the authority to protect the lives of all human beings residing in its respective jurisdictions.

And even Romney can't really hide from this mess. Turns out back in 2007, he aligned himself with voodoo pro-life Dr. Willke who started all this nonsense - the same guy Akin mentions in the first quote at the top of the page. All roads lead back to Dr. Willke.

Boston, MA – Today, Dr. John Willke, a founder of the Pro Life Movement, endorsed Governor Mitt Romney and his campaign for our nation's highest office. Dr. Willke is a leading voice within the pro-life community and will be an important surrogate for Governor Romney's pro-life and pro-family agenda.

"Unlike other candidates who only speak to the importance of confronting the major social issues of the day, Governor Romney has a record of action in defending life. Every decision he made as Governor was on the side of life. I know he will be the strong pro-life President we need in the White House," said Dr. Willke. "Governor Romney is the only candidate who can lead our pro-life and pro-family conservative movement to victory in 2008."

Welcoming Dr. Willke's announcement, Governor Romney said, "I am proud to have the support of a man who has meant so much to the pro-life movement in our country. He knows how important it is to have someone in Washington who will actively promote pro-life policies. Policies that include more than appointing judges who will follow the law but also opposing taxpayer funded abortion and partial birth abortion. I look forward to working with Dr. Willke and welcome him to Romney for President."